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And now... South!
With errands and getting acquainted with the townsfolk of Winterhaven in their past, the heroes are ready to venture south and take on the kobolds. However, a distraction leads them to a mysterious artifact, and a revelation about a much deeper plot. Summary The heroes spend a long evening studying the journal and maps they were given by Inget Monerhan. Although they believe there is much to explore, they ultimately decide to continue searching for the kobolds plaguing Winterhaven in the morning. When they awaken (still in Wrafton's Inn), Ordaxon finds Ninaran to be suddenly and surprisingly helpful: she gives the characters several tips to aid in finding the kobold lair. As the characters track the kobolds south, they are instead pulled east by strange sounds in the forest. They discover a giant dig site, and engage in a long and difficult battle. They overcome several humans, a gnome, and a mysterious apparition of a necromancer who nearly kills Nevarra, despite his intransience. As the battle ends, the heroes rescue Douven Stahl, a historian and archaeologist from Winterhaven. He helps them identify a half-buried idol as a symbol of Orcus, the powerful Prince of the Undead. He also relays to them that a cult of Orcus opened a portal to the Shadowfell hundreds of years ago, along with his suspicions that this may be happening again in the keep north of Winterhaven. As the heroes prepare to return to Winterhaven with Douven, Ordaxon touches the Orcus idol, begins shaking, and passes out. The party is left staring at a hissing lizard, wondering whether to go north to the keep, back to Winterhaven, or west toward the kobold lair. They have one of what appears to be a set of Orcus idols, a locket with a picture of a woman they don't recognize in it, and a growing number of unanswered questions. Dates Fallcrest 19-20 Detailed Playthrough The heroes spend most of their evening studying the journal of Tarthas, trying to match Tarthas's quick sketches with locations on the map of Dungannon that they were given by Inget Monerhan (in the last episode). Eventually they decide that a few days south, there may be a unicorn and some golbins worth investigating. Still, they remain focused on the kobold thread to Winterhaven, and decide to set out again in the morning. The next morning, the heroes see Ninaran again as they prepare to leave Wrafton's Inn. Ordaxon tries one more time to get her to help out with information. Surprisingly, when asked about the kobold threat, she seems more than happy to provide the heroes information that will help them locate the lair. The heroes immediately set out south. With the help of several key landmarks that Ninaran told them to watch out for, the heroes are making good progress tracking the kobolds south. However, a clanging sound draws the heroes attention, as does a low rumbling to their east. Rather than continue searching for the kobolds, the heroes follow these sounds through a densely wooded forest. The heroes come upon a large crater guarded by two crested felldrakes. A maniacal gnome is screaming orders at human rabble who appear to be digging. The heroes waste no time, and although Ninaran tries to sneak up on the felldrakes, battle quickly breaks out. As battle begins, the heroes also see a bound and gagged figure on the other side of the burial site, struggling against his bonds. As the heroes jump into the fray, a mysterious cloaked figure appears and joins the attack against them, shooting necrotic energies across the burial site (and grabbing Ninaran for much of the battle) as well as re-animating human corpses as they fall. Attacks by Nevarra (with her longbow) and Ordaxon (with his eldritch bolt) weaken the figure, but also seem to pass right through him. It becomes apparent that the necromancer is in fact an apparition, most likely representing a real wizard far away. After a long battle that nearly sees Nevarra succumb to necrotic energy twice, Lilac sends a bolt of sun's light toward the evil robed apparition. Weakened by Ordaxon and Nevarra, the apparition howls and dissipates. The heroes are victorious and heal themselves as they catch their breaths. Nevarra sets out to free the prisoner while Gragold rushes to open a crate nearby. As he opens the crate, Gragold shouts as necrotic energies latch onto his hands and sear him. As Nevarra rushes to help, Ordaxon loots the dead gnome and finds a crossbow and a necklace with a picture of a woman that he does not recognize. Nevarra helps free Gragold's hands and Lilac dispels the necrotic energies with her sun's light again, and the heroes inspect the crate as Nevarra returns to the prisoner. Inside the crate is an ancient mirror which appears to have held strong magic but is no longer effective. When Nevarra frees the prisoner, he identifies himself as Douvan Stahl, a historian and archaeologist. He had located the dragon burial site (with the help of Tarthas Monerhan, in fact) many years ago. When a dragon crashed into the site some 30 years ago (confirming the tale of Eilian the Old), it dislodged an ancient artifact sealed by the mirror the heores found in the trapped crate. The artifact is a small idol of the god Orcus, Prince of the Undead. Douvan gives the heroes an abbreviated description of Orcus, with an emphasis on his power and ties to the undead. The heroes come to believe that there is most likely a cult of Orcus operating near Winterhaven. The idol they located is one of several, all designed to assist in completing a ritual that somehow empowers Orcus, and possibly creates an opening to the Shadowfell. Douvan suggests that if the heroes have more questions, they consult him and Valthrun, the town seer ("There's a seer in Winterhaven?" exclaims Nevarra), back in town. An increased urgency takes over the heroes, as Douvan hands the idol to the party magic-user, Ordaxon... who promptly begins shaking, falls to his knees, and passes out. As darkness clouds his vision, a small green lizard scampers out of the woods and up onto his back, hissing at his companions.